How to Use Streamlining Tech for Your Startup

April 15, 2016

7:00 pm

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Technology is an important component of any startup, even those that are not set within the tech field. For example, healthcare-related startups strongly rely on a variety of technological advances to help them provide services to their clients. However, it is important to note that incorrectly applied technology can harm your startup efforts, and it may even cause you to lose an otherwise stellar staff. With this in mind, it is critical to streamline your tech to make everything work more efficiently and to reduce your expenses.

The first thing that any sales-based company needs is a reliable and easy way to process payments. Some companies turn to basic payment processors such as Square, and there is nothing wrong with this for a sole proprietor or the beginning stages of a tiny startup company. However, specialized fields such as small apothecaries and pharmacies can obtain unique point of sale systems (POS) that have been designed to meet their specific needs. Retail Management Solutions offers one example of this technology, and it streamlines the entire process by offering prescription scanning, payment processing, reporting and HIPPA privacy statement signatures in one handheld device.

As you can easily imagine, all of these steps were separated before technology reached its current point, and some businesses continue to separate everything unnecessarily. This creates an increased workload for employees, and it also makes it more possible to lose important data. In other words, this example of streamlining technology showcases the power of taking a more simplistic but comprehensive approach.

Another solid way to minimize tech overload is to purchase one software suite that contains all of the various features you need to be able to track. Doing this is much easier than having multiple software applications that your employees need to be able to master, and it will save money and storage space. After all, there is no need to pay for inventory control tracking and customer relationship management software separately when so many companies offer both of these features in one streamlined platform.

Even your time clock procedures can be simplified to make life easier for your employees. It is now becoming commonplace for companies to track time from an employee’s computer or smartphone. If you have employees who spend a lot of time in the field, you can offer them a better way to clock in and out by choosing software that is available as a smartphone app. By selecting a provider that also makes a desktop-based time clock, you can prevent confusion and streamline the payroll process.

Creating a paperless environment is another way to streamline everything, and this is especially useful if you regularly have telecommuting employees and people in the field. Paper filing systems tend to be filled with more mistakes than electronic filing, and this is quite simply due to the fact that they require employees to physically take things to a filing cabinet and place them in the appropriate area. Storing everything electronically in a shard file that everyone can access will make life easier, which in turn will keep employees happier and more productive.

As you can see, the basic idea is to simply remove any unnecessary technological steps. Never purchase three types of software when one platform can combine everything for you. Additionally, steer clear of POS system that do not at least sync with your inventory control or other similar tracking method. Cutting out the extra tech will save time and money, and this can make a huge difference in your startup’s bottom line.

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Holly Chavez is a former engineer and current writer and entrepreneur. She enjoys writing informative articles about technology and is amazed at all the new inventions and strides that happen every day. Holly also cares about the environment and is involved with writing projects and activism that supports sustainability, Green living and lowering the carbon footprint.